


Numb3rs

by CarpeUmbra



Series: Numb3rs [1]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-02
Updated: 2020-02-02
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:13:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22517554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CarpeUmbra/pseuds/CarpeUmbra
Summary: Numbers. Society was built around a ranking each person received on their eighteenth birthday.
Relationships: Riku/Sora (Kingdom Hearts)
Series: Numb3rs [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1620175
Kudos: 22





	Numb3rs

**Author's Note:**

> Did you guys like this? Want me to continue?

**_Numbers_ ** . Society was built around a ranking each person received on their eighteenth birthday. You were either something or nothing. Anything below seven meant your life was spent doing hard labor. Seven or higher and you had any career open to you. When you received your number you were required to report to the state capital and receive an identification band. Silver-colored bands were for the lower numbers and gold for the higher. It was Sora’s dream to fight for the kingdom and show everyone he could be more than what they assumed. His parents both had low numbers, but almost everyone came from families with a few low ranks. Sora was the first of his generation to be born from a set of parents that both had the lowest rank. One. 

Growing up he was expected to have the same number as they did. Even if it was already proved that genetics had nothing to do with the rank you’d receive. His classmates still taunted him. Sora wanted so badly to believe that he would not end up like they did. Sora didn’t want to get left behind, he had planned with his best friend Riku to stay together. Riku had already received his number, a beautiful eight resting on the inside of his right wrist. Riku had promised to wait to apply to Ceva Academy until Sora could be there beside him. Ceva Academy, where the few with the high ranks went to, to study the trade of their choice. 

Sora couldn’t sleep that night, he laid there with the blankets pulled up to his chin. Nerves sparking, keeping his mind whirling with possibilities both good and bad. As the sun rose above the horizon he felt the stinging begin on his skin. His wrist felt brief like it was on fire and then a moment later the sensation was gone. Drawing in a shaky breath he kicked the blankets away and rolled to his feet. Slowly approaching the bedroom mirror he raised his wrist up and closed his eyes.  _ Please… _

Opening his eyes he glanced at his wrist quickly, like tearing off a bandaid. The number seemed to stare back at him, bold and unchanging.  **Five** . Tears burned his eyes and he dropped to his knees, shoulders sagging. Sora hadn’t known what to expect exactly but this wasn’t what he had hoped for. His dreams were now crushed, swept away from him in an instant. A soft knock on the door made his head lift, Riku’s soft voice murmuring past the wood. 

“Sora, it’s me. Can I come in?” 

  
  
  


Stammering a confirmation he stood up, wiping the tears from his cheeks. As soon as Riku stepped through the door, he threw himself into his arms. Head buried against the front of his chest. Sora let the sobs come freely then, letting them wrack his body as he held tight to his best friend for dear life. “I’m a five Riku..a five.” He stammered the words between deep sobs. 

There was a soft inhale above him and then a slight chuckle after a prolonged silence. “Hey..I know you’re disappointed but won’t you at least open your gift?” Riku had two packages in his arms. One was intricately adorned in the starry yellow fruits they adored. The other was a plain brown box. Riku offered him the prettier box first. 

Pulling the lid off, Sora grinned through his tears. It was a plush Meow-wow, custom designed to resemble the one he had at home. Bubble. “Oh Riku, he’s perfect. Thank you.” Sora murmured and hugged the soft plush close to his chest. 

“Well..I thought you’d need something to remind you of him when we leave for the Academy.” The words were soft and despite the confusion on Sora’s face, Riku handed him the next box. “I got this for you..just incase. I want you to go with me, no matter what.”

Hesitantly Sora lifted the lid from the brown box and gasped. Laid within is a gold band for his wrist. “Riku..we could get into so much trouble. Lying about your placement is illegal..” Still his hands reached for the band, brushing against the smooth metal. Pulling it on to his right wrist he felt the metal tighten to the correct size, covering the number entirely. As far as the world would know, he was part of the upper tier of society. 

Riku reached out and ruffled Sora’s hair, smiling. “I told you. I won’t become a keyblade wielder without you. We’re in this together.”

  
  



End file.
